Are You Planning To Quit? Today Is Great American Smokeout Day

Every year, I, along with countless other smokers, are faced with this dilemma: “It’s Great American Smokeout Day. Am I going to quit?”

According to the experts, if you haven’t thought about it in the last 30 days and haven't come up with a good plan to quit, chances are, today is NOT going to be the day!

Several sources and experts on kicking the habit suggest you give it a good 30 days to, not only condition your mind to quit smoking, but have a plan in place as to how you’re going to do it. There’s several over-the-counter quit smoking aids available nowadays. The nicotine patch. Gum. Lozenges. Inhalers. Nasal Sprays... You get the idea. The major drawbacks that people say they've experienced with using these products are they encounter nightmares and/or sleepless nights.

Others have used medications like Chantix and Zyban. Although several have managed to put down their ciggies for good by using these prescription options, some have reported severe headaches after use. According to some sources, Zyban has been linked to seizures and mood disorders.

In a category of its own, there's the electronic cigarette, or “e-cigarette,” that people have claimed to have some success with. Some e-cigs are also called “Vapes” (vaporized cigarettes) which some attribute to helping them cut down dramatically from their usual 2-pack-a-day habit.

My dad, on the other hand, decided long ago that the only way to kick the habit was cold turkey! So one day, he traded in his 3 packs a day for some lemon drops and toothpicks. He managed to be smoke-free for 50 years!

Did you quit smoking? If so, how did you do it? If you’re a smoker, are you planning to quit? How are you planning to do it for good? How many times have you tried?